Parliamentary Committee for SC/ST Commission in HP

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Dr Kirit P Solanki on Wednesday called for setting up SC/ST Commission in Himachal Pradesh on the analogy of other states.

Presiding over a meeting with Chief Secretary, Vineet Chaudhary in Shimla, Solanki said strict action must be initiated in the cases of atrocities against the SC and ST.

“A lot of incidents of atrocities are reported in the country but they are not reported properly,” he said, adding that such cases should not be bypassed neither there should be compromise due to any kind of pressure.
He said fast track courts should be established for speedy disposal of such cases.

The Committee, which is on tour to HP, expressed satisfaction over the activities being undertaken by the state government for welfare of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Chief Secretary Vineet Chawdhary highlighted about various schemes and programmes being implemented by the state government for welfare of these sections. He said the state had 25.29 per cent population of scheduled castes and 8.88 per cent scheduled tribes.

“The state is spending 25.19 per cent of the state budget on scheduled caste sub-plan while Rs 65 crore had been earmarked under scheduled tribe sub-plan for the year 2107-18,” he said.

He apprised the Committee that state Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation had been constituted to implement various schemes for social welfare of these sections. The government spent 374.54 crore to provide loan facility to 810 beneficiaries during last three years.

Chaudhary said that the state government has opened a large number of schools and health institutions to facilitate the children and common citizens.
“The free Tele-medicine facility had been provided in tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba and Pangi. Moreover, the state government is also providing reservation in government jobs to the people of these sections,” he said.